Waynesfield-Goshen students were touched by the devastation that residents in North Carolina faced from Hurricane Helene. The students are collecting new or gently used coats, gloves, and hats for the residents of Black Mountain, North Carolina. They are working with a Baptist church in that area to help provide the coats to people who need them. The schools in black mountain recently reopened after they dealt with flooding from a record amount of rain in late September.  Now with recovery efforts ongoing and winter fast approaching, the Waynesfield-Goshen students are asking for help to give kids and adults down there who lost everything a warm coat.

October 14, 2024, Press Release from the American Red Cross: LIMA, Ohio, October 14, 2024— The American Red Cross Indiana Region is issuing an urgent appeal for volunteers to join our disaster team to help locally and/or deploy for major national disaster relief efforts. Interested community members are urged to sign up today at redcross.org/volunteer. All candidates must complete the necessary training. Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply.

October 7, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine: (COLUMBUS, Ohio)— In anticipation of Florida-bound Hurricane Milton, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has activated a team of more than three dozen members of the Ohio National Guard to support the state of Florida in the storm's aftermath. “As Florida recovers from one hurricane and braces for another, Ohio is answering the call to help Governor DeSantis and the entire state," said Governor DeWine. "Forty members of the 200^th REDHORSE Squadron are proactively heading to Florida in advance of what is expected to be another catastrophic storm."

WAPAKONETA, OH (WLIO) - Local residents are doing whatever they can to help those impacted by Hurricane Helene. 

September 30, 2024, Press Release from the Office of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine: (COLUMBUS, Ohio)— Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has activated the Ohio National Guard to support the state of North Carolina in its recovery from flooding and damage caused by Hurricane Helene. One CH47 helicopter and six Soldiers from Company B, 3^rd Battalion, 238^th Aviation Regiment are en route to North Carolina to provide air movement of supplies, equipment, and personnel. 

Governor Mike DeWine activated the state disaster relief program for Mercer and 10 other counties to help with the impact of severe storm events from the start of the year. Government and eligible private non-profit organizations in Mercer County will be able to apply for supplemental state assistance for the EF-2 tornadoes on May 7-8th. One tornado by Coldwater reached speeds of 120 miles per hour. The other that started in Montezuma Township hit speeds of 130 miles per hour. No injuries or deaths were reported. 

2024 has been a damaging year of weather for Ohio. The Buckeye State has recorded an unprecedented 70 tornadoes this year alone, which surpasses the previous record of most tornadoes in a year of 62 set back in 1992. Auglaize County has been particularly hard hit this year with an EF-1, an EF-2, and the intense March 14th EF-3 tornado causing damage and even total destruction.

September 6, 2024, Press Release from the American Red Cross: INDIANA, September 6, 2024 — The American Red Cross Indiana Region is encouraging everyone to take critical actions during National Preparedness Month this September to be ready for worsening disasters. Deadly storms and floods, raging fires and extreme heat are becoming more frequent and intense and families are experiencing the effects. Disasters can happen at any time, often without warning, changing lives forever in just minutes. It’s critical to help protect your loved ones and National Preparedness Month is the ideal time to get your household ready for emergencies.

On Friday night, checks were presented to three Ohio residents who found the Our Lady of Fatima Shrine following the March 14th Tornado. Jimmy Dawson of Russells Point, Richard Martin of Marysville, and Josh George of Delaware received the monetary gift from the American Society of Ephesus, ASE, for diving into Indian Lake and extensively searching the water for the 20-foot fiberglass statue of the Virgin Mary. For over 2 weeks, ASE was unsuccessful in finding the beloved statue by drone, and that's when the dive team trio stepped in... and to this day, they remember the moment when they found her.